I'm interested in seeing how this plays out for the labels, for the artists, or even if the ban sticks. I don't think other current platforms will provide what TT did even with tech updates. But I know music will still be music and the real artists will make art and break through. What do you think?

The TT ban benefits the major labels more than it hurts, mainly by consolidating power back into the major 4. They'll take the hit on internet numbers perhaps if it means they have more leverage. The industry has shifted towards scooping up trending artists but they might be betting they still can.

The bombshell point, and tell me if you've seen otherwise, is the music industry and major labels have been VERY quiet regarding the ban. TT plays a major role in this era of music but in my bubble I haven't seen anyone from that pov talking about it. I think that silence is speaking loudly.

TikTok has legitimately threatened the major labels & its modern system of power. And TT has said they're interested in "becoming a new kind of music label" themselves. They're already a large distributor of music so signing or developing artists wouldn't be a stretch of what they already do.

Recently UMG feuded with TT about royalties & rights of music used on the platform. Negotiating and creating leverage, UMG removed its artists (something like 60%+ of all distributed music) for a few weeks. They eventually came to a deal but the TT catalog hasn't totally bounced back.

But success in the music industry has been number based for a long while. This is just the modern version since labels started taking streaming seriously.

Further on, I believe music on IG YT TT shorts impact billboard charts and streaming numbers on platforms. Virality literally driving numbers on platforms. At the very least a soft influence bc all that buzz contributes to the Zeitgeist. Success in the industry has become based on those numbers.

For labels, TikTok has been a way to skip traditional A&R development as well as measure the potential value of an artist. Labels will fly in and offer a contract for artist rights+ as an artist STARTS to go viral. This cuts costs for labels and has evolved into a predatory arms race at times.

However TikTok has been a gift and a curse for artists. They can reach a ton of people without a label BUT to succeed they need to learn to create content. That's the big criticism, artists need to focus on making videos not music. In fairness, artists will always need to market themselves.